Thurston County man accused of killing family’s dog while drunk driving, wife tried to frame their son

A Thurston County man has been accused of driving into a family and killing their dog while intoxicated, while his wife was additionally accused of attempting to frame their son for the crash.

On Saturday, Thurston County Sheriff’s Office (TCSO) deputies were dispatched to Dutterow Road in response to reports of a hit-and-run, Sheriff Derek Sanders announced.

A man and his child were walking their dog through the neighborhood when a large white truck allegedly swerved into the family and hit the father with the mirror before hitting the dog. TCSO noted that the father is currently in stable condition.

Driver fled scene, neighbor’s video footage captured truck’s details

Deputies said the driver didn’t stop, but a neighbor provided video footage of the incident. TCSO has used it to pinpoint specific characteristics of the truck.

Sanders was returning from a community event when he caught word of the incident. He made a U-turn and looked for the truck.

Sanders found the truck at a nearby home with a cracked mirror and dog fur stuck in the front bumper. Sanders noted that the truck was still warm, as if it had just been used recently.

When Sheriff Sanders knocked on the door of the residence, a woman answered, claiming it was her son who had been driving. Following roughly 30 minutes of interviews, TCSO determined that the mother told her 18-year-old son to lie to deputies.

TCSO found that it was the stepfather who was behind the wheel, while Sanders noted that the man smelled strongly of alcohol.

The father was placed under arrest for driving under the influence, hit-and-run with injury, and animal cruelty. The mother will also be referred to the prosecutor’s office for providing false statements, as she attempted to “frame her 18-year-old son, who was nearly arrested for felony crimes,” Sanders said.

Investigators tie suspect to crash through fur samples, casino surveillance

Search warrants were obtained for blood vials from the suspect and for the seizure of the fur that was stuck to the truck’s bumper. Fur from the dead dog was also obtained to tie the suspect truck to the crash.

TCSO deputies also discovered surveillance footage from a nearby casino, where the suspect had allegedly been drinking before the collision.

“Deputies did a fantastic job managing this scene, obtaining statements, and collecting evidence from helpful neighbors,” Sanders said. “The victim is in stable condition and we are extremely heartbroken for him and his family.”

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